MDT Montana Wetland Assessment Kiethod 



Mav 25, 1999 



14J. Groundwater Discharge/Recharge: This field assesses groundwater discharge and recharge potential at the site. Indicators of 

 discharge include obsened springs or seeps, vegetation gro'wing during dormant or drought seasons, wetlands at the toe of a natural 

 slope, permanent flooding during drought periods, and presence of an outlet but no inlet. Indicators of recharge can be more difficult 

 to discern in the field and include observation of a permeable substrate without an underhing impeding layer, or presence of an inlet 

 but no outlet. 



i. Rating. Working from top to bottom, use the matrix on the data form to arrive at [circle] the functional points and rating [H = high, 

 L = low, N/.\ = Not .Applicable] for this fimction. Check the listed statements under Discharge Indicators and Recharge Indicators that 

 apply to the AA. Other site-specific indicators mav be added as necessary. Use the matnx on the data form to determine the 

 correspKJnding ratmg and functional points. If it is determined that groundwater discharge/recharge potential cannot be reasonably 

 ascertained in the AA at this level of analysis, explain this in the coraments section and indicate the rating as 'ninknown" and functional 

 points as "NA' on the data form. 



14K. Uniqueness: This field e\"presses the general uniqueness of the AA in terms of its replacement potential and habitat diversity; 

 relatrv'e abundance in the same major Montana watershed basin; and degree of human disturbance. 



The Montana Natural Heritage Program has compiled a hst of vegetation associations occurring in Montana and has assigned each 

 association a state "rank" based on its estimated number of occurrences in the state and its estimated total area within the state (MNHP 

 1998). Associations ranked '"SI" have 1 to 5 occurrences in Montana (regardless of total area) or have 6 to 100+ occurrences in 

 Montana that cumulatively total less than 2.000 acres. Associations ranked "S2" have between 6 and 20 occurrences in Montana that 

 cumulativeh' total greater than or equal to 2.000 acres or have between 21 and 100+ occurrences in Montana that cumulativeh total 

 between 2,000 and 10.000 acres (Cooper and DeVelice 1995). This list is dynamic, and the user should ensure that the most current 

 list is applied. 



Associations ranked "SI" or "S2" by the MHNT potentially containing wetland communities are listed in Table 1. Associations were 

 generally included on this table if thev were: Usted as a riparian or wetland community in Classificatton and Marjagement of 

 Montana s Riparian and Wetland Sites (Hansen et al. 1 995); indicated as a wetland community on the MNHP list (MNHP 1 998); or 

 if at least one of the primary species within the association was listed as a "facultative", "facultative wetland ", or "obhgate wetland" 

 species using USFWS classifications. 



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